Are planets like those in “Star Wars” really out there? NASA plans to find out. Join the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University for free 60-minute webinar to explore exoplanets and the search for habitable worlds. Learn how to bring the topic into the classroom with a NASA STEM lesson plan focusing on sequencing, comparing and contrasting. Online registration is required.

For 40 years, NASA’s twin Voyager spacecraft have been on an incredible journey that has taken them to the outer planets and beyond. Join Alan Cummings, a senior research scientist and Voyager team member since 1973, as he revisits the highlights of the last 40 years and speculates on what lies ahead for the intrepid Voyagers. Attend in person or view the Thursday evening lecture online.

World Space Week, as declared by the United Nations, is the largest public space celebration in the world. This event commemorates two events: the launch of Sputnik 1 on Oct. 4, 1957, and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on Oct. 10, 1967, to regulate peaceful use of space by all countries. During this week, teachers are encouraged to use space-themed activities to excite students about science and technology. Visit the World Space Week website to search for events in your area and to find educational materials.

NASA is seeking proposals for small satellite payloads to fly on rockets planned to launch or be deployed from the International Space Station between 2018 and 2021. The CubeSat Launch Initiative gives students, teachers and faculty a chance to get hands-on, flight hardware development while designing, building and operating small research satellites. This opportunity is open to U.S. nonproﬁt organizations and accredited educational organizations.

The RASC-AL engineering design competition challenges teams to develop new concepts that leverage innovations to improve our ability to travel between Earth and other destinations. This year’s themes are (1) Reusable Hybrid Propulsion Stage; (2) Artificial Gravity Reusable Crewed Deep Space Transport; (3) Propellant Resupply Capability; and (4) Lunar Polar Sample Return Architecture. Up to 16 teams will be chosen to participate in a competitive design review at the RASC-AL Forum in Florida. Teams with the top two winning papers will be invited to present their design projects to industry experts at a major aerospace conference.

Join the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University for free 60-minute webinar to discuss the many types of moons found in our solar system and what we can learn from them. Specific NASA resources related to moons will be incorporated throughout the presentation. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standard ESS1. Online registration required.

NASA wants everyone who witnesses the Aug. 21 solar eclipse to do so safely. Looking at the sun with the naked eye is unsafe, but with special solar filters, such as eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, you can safely look directly at the sun. Learn how to check the safety authenticity of viewing glasses or find out how to observe the eclipse with alternate methods.

Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for a two-hour solar eclipse extravaganza! Tune in to see the eclipse live from within the path of totality and learn about the science of the sun-Earth-moon system. Watch CricketCam and make predictions. Find out how to get involved in NASA opportunities. Ask NASA experts your questions via Twitter @NASADLN using #askDLN or by email.

Download the “GLOBE Observer” app, available for Apple and Android phones, and contribute to a citizen science database used by scientists and students to study the effects of eclipses on the atmosphere. Observations are welcome from across North America, even if you are not in the path of totality.

Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, the “Eclipse 2017” experience presents NASA’s “Eyes on the Solar System” visualization embedded within the immersive digital learning environment of Infiniscope. Learners will explore the Earth-moon-sun system; learn about shadows at the astronomical level; and predict the eclipse’s path of totality.

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses. To prepare for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.” Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Get excited about the 2017 Solar Eclipse with a new set of online storytelling recordings from the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These multicultural eclipse folktales were researched and performed by professional storytellers Cassandra Wye and Fran Stallings. The stories may be used in all settings and were recorded to engage a diverse audience and a variety of ages.

Find everything you need to know about viewing the upcoming solar eclipse with pre-K and Kindergarten students. Watch a short video that explains the science behind solar eclipses. View a U.S. map that illustrates the path of totality. Get ready for the eclipse with a hands-on activity. All materials developed in conjunction with The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Funded by the NASA@ My Library program, STAR_Net has developed educational resources to assist libraries in creating promotional and program materials for events surrounding the upcoming solar eclipse. These materials include images, videos, posters, activities, webinars and more!

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up to receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.” It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other NASA science education activities.

The National Science Foundation’ s HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce.

NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. Priority will be placed on collaboration involving digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations.

The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and graduate students for spring 2018 internships. The History Division maintains archival materials to answer research questions. The division edits and publishes several books and monographs each year, and it maintains websites and social media featuring NASA history. Strong research, writing and editing skills are essential to the internship. Students of all majors are welcome to apply.

Citizen scientists can use the “GLOBE Observer” app, available for Apple and Android phones, to help those who are working to understand and reduce mosquito-borne diseases. The app helps users identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. This local, ground-based information helps NASA by supporting satellite-based research of environmental conditions that indicate possible outbreaks of mosquitoes.

Is a large planet at the fringes of our solar system awaiting discovery, a world astronomers call Planet Nine? NASA scientists are looking for this planet and for new brown dwarfs in the backyard of the solar system. But they need your help! Finding these dim objects requires the human eye to comb through the images. Participants in this citizen science project will share the credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that result from the project.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

FOLLOW, SHARE, AND BE A PART OF THE STEM EDUCATION CONVERSATION WITH NASA!

Develop an Origami/Folding Concept for Radiation Shield Packing/DeployingAudience: Designers of All AgesEntry Deadline: Aug. 15, 2017, at Midnight EDTContact: NASA-SOLVE@hq.nasa.govNASA is seeking folding/origami-based patterns and concepts for packaging a large radiation shield into a single launch vehicle. The shield must deploy in space and envelop the habitation portions of a Mars spacecraft. Ideas can be shown using diagrams, graphics, 3-D models, or animations that at a minimum show the stowed and deployed configurations.

Safety First! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips From NASAAudience: All Educators and StudentsEclipse Date: Monday, Aug. 21, 2017Contact: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/contact-usNASA wants everyone who witnesses the Aug. 21 solar eclipse to do so safely. Looking at the sun with the naked eye is unsafe, but with special solar filters, such as eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, you can safely look directly at the sun. Learn how to check the safety authenticity of viewing glasses or find out how to observe the eclipse with alternate methods.

Space Racers Solar Eclipse Content for Young ChildrenAudience: Pre-K and Kindergarten Educators and StudentsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: info@spaceracers.orgFind everything you need to know about viewing the upcoming solar eclipse with pre-K and Kindergarten students. Watch a short video that explains the science behind solar eclipses. View a U.S. map that illustrates the path of totality. Get ready for the eclipse with a hands-on activity. All materials developed in conjunction with The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

New Resources From LPI Explore! The Vanishing Sun: Eclipse Tales From Around the WorldAudience: All Educators and StudentsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: shupla@lpi.usra.eduGet excited about the 2017 Solar Eclipse with a new set of online storytelling recordings from the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These multicultural eclipse folktales were researched and performed by professional storytellers Cassandra Wye and Fran Stallings. The stories may be used in all settings and were recorded to engage a diverse audience and a variety of ages.

Be a Mosquito Habitat Mapper With ‘GLOBE Observer’ AppAudience: All Educators and StudentsProject Dates: Now Through Nov. 10, 2017Contact: Holli.riebeek@nasa.govCitizen scientists can use the “GLOBE Observer” app, available for Apple and Android phones, to help those who are working to understand and reduce mosquito-borne diseases. The app helps users identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. This local, ground-based information helps NASA by supporting satellite-based research of environmental conditions that indicate possible outbreaks of mosquitoes.

New Podcast Series Available From NASA’s Johnson Space CenterAudience: All Educators and StudentsPodcast Release Date: New Episode Every FridayLive Podcast From Space: Aug. 10, 2017Contact: gary.j.jordan@nasa.gov“Houston, We Have a Podcast” is a new weekly audio show from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The podcast, hosted by Gary Jordan as he talks with various guests, is designed to highlight a variety of topics covering the work of Johnson, NASA’s “home of human spaceflight.”

ESTEEM Virtual Event “Ask US” Event: Exploring the Eclipse Through a Native American PerspectiveAudience: Members of Tribal and Indigenous CommunitiesEvent Date: Aug. 10, 2017, 4 – 5:15 p.m. EDTContact: bonnie.murray@nasa.govOn Aug. 21, 2017, North America will be treated to a solar eclipse. Native Americans have been observing natural events such as eclipses for thousands of years. Join the ESTEEM team as we preview materials, answer science questions, and allow for dialogue related to Native American knowledge about the eclipse. Discover how to bring the eclipse to life through the lens of a Native American perspective.

Register to Host: NASA’s Digital Learning Network Live Event — E-Day 2017: Total Solar Eclipse WebcastAudience: Museums and Educational InstitutionsRegistration Deadline: Aug. 10, 2017
Event Date: Aug. 21, 2017, 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. EDTContact: DLiNfochannel@gmail.comNASA’s Digital Learning Network is looking for museums and other educational institutions to host a live two-hour virtual event in conjunction with the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. A limited number of sites will be selected to participate in the LIVE event, and participants will ask questions of our experts directly. All sites must register and complete a technical test no later than Aug. 10, 2017.

New From WGBH Education — The Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher ToolkitAudience: K-12 EducatorsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: rachel_connolly@wgbh.org
Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.” Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Free Eclipse Digital Experience Available from NASA and InfiniscopeAudience: Grades 5-12 and Informal EducatorsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: jlswann@asu.edu
Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, the “Eclipse 2017” experience presents NASA’s “Eyes on the Solar System” visualization embedded within the immersive digital learning environment of Infiniscope. Learners will explore the Earth-moon-sun system; learn about shadows at the astronomical level; and predict the eclipse’s path of totality.

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Live Event — E-Day 2017: Total Solar Eclipse WebcastAudience: All Educators and StudentsEvent Date: Aug. 21, 2017, 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. EDTContact: DLiNfochannel@gmail.com
Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for a two-hour solar eclipse extravaganza! Tune in to see the eclipse live from within the path of totality and learn about the science of the sun-Earth-moon system. Watch CricketCam and make predictions. Find out how to get involved in NASA opportunities. Ask NASA experts your questions via Twitter @NASADLN using #askDLN or by email.

‘Predict the Corona’ Art ProjectAudience: Students of All AgesEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/contact-us
Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses. To prepare for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey SatelliteAudience: All Educators and StudentsSubmission Deadline: Nov. 20, 2017Contact: GSFC-TESS@mail.nasa.govSet to launch in June 2018, TESS is an explorer-class planet finder and will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics. This opportunity is open to all ages and skill levels.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

FOLLOW, SHARE, AND BE A PART OF THE STEM EDUCATION CONVERSATION WITH NASA!

Join the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University for free 60-minute webinar to explore the TRAPPIST-1 mission. Learn how TRAPPIST-1 helped set a new record by finding seven Earth-size planets orbiting a single star beyond our solar system! Three of those planets are in the star’s habitable zone. Online registration required.

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Online Solar Eclipse WorkshopAudience: K-12 EducatorsEvent Date: Aug. 8, 2017, 3 p.m. EDTContact: DLiNfochannel@gmail.com
Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for an hourlong live-streamed educator workshop showcasing NASA education resources to help you bring the excitement and science of the Aug. 21 total eclipse to your classroom. Several hands-on activities will be demonstrated during the workshop, and subject matter experts will explain why the eclipse is a unique event for scientists and the public.

ESTEEM Virtual Event “Ask US” Event: Exploring the Eclipse Through a Native American PerspectiveAudience: Members of Tribal and Indigenous CommunitiesEvent Date: Aug. 10, 2017, 4 – 5:15 p.m. EDTContact: bonnie.murray@nasa.gov
On Aug. 21, 2017, North America will be treated to a solar eclipse. Native Americans have been observing natural events such as eclipses for thousands of years. Join the ESTEEM team as we preview materials, answer science questions, and allow for dialogue related to Native American knowledge about the eclipse. Discover how to bring the eclipse to life through the lens of a Native American perspective.

Register to Host: NASA’s Digital Learning Network Live Event — E-Day 2017: Total Solar Eclipse WebcastAudience: Museums and Educational InstitutionsRegistration Deadline: Aug. 10, 2017
Event Date: Aug. 21, 2017, 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. EDTContact: DLiNfochannel@gmail.com
NASA’s Digital Learning Network is looking for museums and other educational institutions to host a live two-hour virtual event in conjunction with the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. A limited number of sites will be selected to participate in the LIVE event, and participants will ask questions of our experts directly. All sites must register and complete a technical test no later than Aug. 10, 2017.

Free Eclipse Digital Experience Available from NASA and InfiniscopeAudience: Grades 5-12 and Informal EducatorsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: jlswann@asu.edu
Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, the “Eclipse 2017” experience presents NASA’s “Eyes on the Solar System” visualization embedded within the immersive digital learning environment of Infiniscope. Learners will explore the Earth-moon-sun system; learn about shadows at the astronomical level; and predict the eclipse’s path of totality.

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Live Event — E-Day 2017: Total Solar Eclipse WebcastAudience: All Educators and StudentsEvent Date: Aug. 21, 2017, 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. EDTContact: DLiNfochannel@gmail.com
Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for a two-hour solar eclipse extravaganza! Tune in to see the eclipse live from within the path of totality and learn about the science of the sun-Earth-moon system. Watch CricketCam and make predictions. Find out how to get involved in NASA opportunities. Ask NASA experts your questions via Twitter @NASADLN using #askDLN or by email.

BIG Idea Challenge 2018Audience: Full-time Undergraduate and Graduate StudentsNoI Deadline: Oct. 1, 2017Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2017Contact: BigIdea@nianet.org
NASA’s 2018 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge seeks innovations in the design, installation and sustainable operation of a large solar power system on Mars. Top teams present their concepts via a design review at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia or NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. The winning team will receive NASA internship offers.

New Podcast Series Available From NASA’s Johnson Space CenterAudience: All Educators and StudentsPodcast Release Date: New Episode Every FridayLive Podcast From Space: Aug. 10, 2017Contact: gary.j.jordan@nasa.gov
“Houston, We Have a Podcast” is a new weekly audio show from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The podcast, hosted by Gary Jordan as he talks with various guests, is designed to highlight a variety of topics covering the work of Johnson, NASA’s “home of human spaceflight.”

‘Predict the Corona’ Art ProjectAudience: Students of All AgesEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/contact-us
Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses. To prepare for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

New From WGBH Education — The Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher ToolkitAudience: K-12 EducatorsEclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017Contact: rachel_connolly@wgbh.org
Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.” Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Earn STEM Digital Badges to Celebrate the Centennial of NASA’s Langley Research CenterAudience: Educators and Students in Grades 5-9, Informal EducatorsDeadline: Oct. 21, 2017Contact: marile.colonrobles@nasa.gov
To celebrate NASA’s Langley Research Center’s Centennial, three STEM digital badges are now available for educators and students in grades 5-9. Discover the role of cloud types in the Earth’s Energy Budget; how drag is used to land the Mars2020 Rover on Mars; and the importance of composite materials for airplanes. The first 1,000 educators to complete all three badges by Oct. 21, 2017, will receive a NASA insignia iron-on patch.

University Student Research Challenge — A Pilot ProjectAudience: Students at U.S. Colleges and UniversitiesProposal Deadline: Oct. 16, 2017Contact: nspires-help@nasaprs.com
NASA’s Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program seeks to develop novel concepts with the potential to create new capabilities in aeronautics by stimulating aeronautics research in the student community. Through this solicitation, TACP will provide students from accredited U.S. colleges or universities with grants for aeronautics projects that also raise cost-sharing funds using crowdfunding platforms. This challenge, which is being run as a pilot project, seeks students who have an aeronautics-related project idea and have the passion to develop that idea.

Now Accepting Applications for NASA Spring Internships
Audience: High School, Undergraduate and Graduate StudentsApplication Deadline: Oct. 17, 2017Contact: https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/
Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on spring internship opportunities available at all NASA centers. Help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internship opportunities also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks.

NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to SaturnAudience: All Educators and Students Ages 13 and OlderContact: cassinimission@jpl.nasa.gov
During nearly two decades in space, Cassini has inspired people on Earth. Now the mission is moving toward its “Grand Finale,” and in September 2017 it will finally draw to a dramatic end. NASA’s Cassini team would like to know: How has Cassini inspired you? Visit the Cassini Inspires website to explore images and more from the mission. Then use inspiration to get creative. Write a poem. Paint a picture. Choreograph a dance. Tell a story. The possibilities are endless!

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

FOLLOW, SHARE, AND BE A PART OF THE STEM EDUCATION CONVERSATION WITH NASA!

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Mission STEM: Constructing Explanations and SolutionsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 31, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
Participants will explore resources that allow students to practice inquiry-based strategies while completing design challenges. Explore recording, analyzing and interpreting data. And learn how maps and models can be used to help students gain perspective and answer questions. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/249118

Exploring Beyond the Planets: Cassini and SaturnAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: Aug. 1, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about the solar system and beyond. Explore the current research going on at Saturn with the Cassini mission and related activities that can be used within the classroom or during after-school programs. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254227

Talk With a Scientist: Mike MacFerrinAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12Event Date: Aug. 2, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will have the opportunity to interact with leading cryo scientist Mike MacFerrin. MacFerrin is a Greenland ice sheet researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. He is an expert in physical geography, cryosphere studies, Earth science, ice interactions and remote sensing. He will be presenting “Tales from a Greenland Polar Field Scientist.” Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263962

The Solar Eclipse: Sun, Earth, Moon RelationshipsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: Aug. 3, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
This STEM webinar will guide participants through hands-on and inquiry-based resources related to the solar eclipse of 2017. The session will prepare participants to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to their students in the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/260884

NASA is seeking storyboard ideas for a two-minute animation that describes the RFID-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management, or REALM, project to the public. REALM is a three-phased experimental project based on radio frequency identification, or RFID, technologies.

The winning storyboard will be developed into a video via a separate contest, for which submitters, and others, are eligible to participate.

The creator of the winning storyboard will receive $500. Entries must be submitted by 3 p.m. EDT on Aug. 3, 2017.

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

“Houston, We Have a Podcast” is a new weekly audio show from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The podcast, hosted by Gary Jordan as he talks with various guests, is designed to highlight a variety of topics covering the work of Johnson, NASA’s “home of human spaceflight.”

In the first episode, released on July 7, 2017, NASA public affairs officer Dan Huot provides a high-level overview of the International Space Station: what it is, how it works, and why it’s there. New episodes will be releasedeach Friday; upcoming topics include space food, human research in space, mission control and communications. Personal stories of human spaceflight, from living on the space station to understanding what it may be like to walk on Mars, will come from the Astronaut Candidates of 2017, International Space Station astronauts, and scientists and engineers from around the center.

Timed at an average of 45 to 50 minutes, episodes of “Houston, We Have a Podcast” will be released on iTunes, SoundCloud and nasa.gov. Questions may be asked using the hashtags #askNASA and #HWHAP on various NASA accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A live podcast episode from space with astronaut Jack Fischer is planned Aug. 10, 2017, on NASA TV, Facebook, YouTube, UStream and other platforms. Live audience viewers will be able to ask questions via Facebook and YouTube. The recorded podcast episode will be released Friday of the following week.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City is hosting a full day of professional learning for K-12 teachers and informal educators. The annual Space & Science Festival Professional Development will take place Aug. 5, 2017, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT.

The event will feature early-morning entry into the museum’s Drones: Is the Sky the Limit? exhibition, guest speakers and presenters from NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute, and workshops led by educational partners. Workshop topics include coding, space exploration, astronomy, the engineering design process, arts and science integration, and more!

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known about its shape and extent or how these changed with time.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse once again. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Are you a K-12 teacher looking for ideas and information on what to do with your students, your school, or your community about the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017? Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.”

Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

The total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, is quickly approaching! To help you prepare for the big event, STAR_Net has developed educational resources to assist libraries in creating promotional and program materials for events surrounding the eclipse.

Funded by the NASA@ My Library program, these materials include images, videos, posters, activities, webinars and more! Here are just a few highlights of what is available:

2017 Solar Eclipse Guide: This eclipse information booklet may be downloaded free by anyone at http://www.starnetlibraries.org/EclipseGuide/. The 24-page booklet includes background information on eclipses, times when the eclipse is visible over different parts of the country, safe viewing techniques, suggestions for good outreach partners for libraries, and more.

The annual Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop will be held Aug. 21-25, 2017, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop encourages knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking throughout the thermal and fluids engineering community within NASA, academia and the aerospace community at large. STEM faculty and university students are encouraged to attend, take free training, or do a combination thereof.

Registration to attend the workshop is free. For more information about the workshop and how to submit an abstract for consideration, visit https://tfaws.nasa.gov/.

Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on spring internship opportunities available at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internship opportunities also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks. If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

The U.S. Agency for International Development seeks proposals for Development Innovation Ventures grants. Development Innovation Ventures supports breakthrough solutions to the world’s most intractable development challenges by finding and testing bold ideas that could change millions of lives at a fraction of the usual cost.

DIV welcomes applications from U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, individuals, and nonprofit and for-profit entities, provided their work is in a country where USAID operates.

Examples of innovations that USAID/DIV is likely to support include:
— Behavior-change approaches drawing on insights from psychology and behavioral economics.
— Solutions that advance equality between females and males and that empower women and girls to participate fully in and benefit from the development of their societies.
— New methods to reduce absenteeism among frontline health and education workers.
— Testing proof of concept for a solar lighting system distributed by local entrepreneurs at a price/service point that induces wide adoption.

The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).

NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.

Create Art Inspired by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

In November 2016, a small group of artists visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to see the James Webb Space Telescope in person for inspiration to create art. They have been busy ever since, producing amazing work that will be presented for exhibit during spring 2017 at the Goddard Visitor Center.

Though only a few artists were able to physically visit the telescope, the team at GSFC was impressed by the number of talented people who were interested in participating and want to offer more artists a chance to participate virtually.

How can you participate? Browse through the collection of James Webb Space Telescope images and videos and see what inspires you. Create art! (Note: this is not limited to art you can hang on a wall.) Then, share it with NASA on social media with #JWSTArt, or email it to jwst@lists.nasa.gov.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

For 20 years, the NASA Education Express has kept subscribers in the know about opportunities for teachers and students. To celebrate, we’re giving the weekly newsletter a fresh, updated look!

The NASA Education Express will still deliver the latest NASA opportunities for educators and students directly to your inbox each Thursday. But the message is getting a makeover — All to help you find what you need … faster!
— “New This Week” opportunities at the top
— “Act Fast!” for those opportunities where the clock is ticking
— Plus more opportunities for educators and students

Keep an eye on your inbox on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, and be ready to hop on board!

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Solar Eclipse: What, When, Where, How and SafetyAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 20, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
On Aug. 21, 2017, most Americans will experience their first total solar eclipse in almost 40 years. What is a solar eclipse? Where will the eclipse be visible? When will the eclipse occur? How can the eclipse be viewed safely? This webinar will explore these questions using some of the many NASA resources and classroom lessons supporting this solar event. Learn about the important safety of properly viewing the eclipse with your students. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/263468

Solar Eclipse: Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, Guest Scientist
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 24, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
As a singular event of national scale and with a global audience, the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, will be a landmark event for a new generation. Where will you be? In this webinar, participants will be able to connect with the lead program scientist for NASA’s “Living With a Star” initiative, Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263957

Solar Eclipse: ShadowsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 25, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible across the continental U.S., the first in almost 40 years! Participants in this webinar will learn about shadows and the upcoming solar eclipse. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254223

Earth, Moon and Sun — Modeling the Solar EclipseAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 26, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Participants will explore hands-on and inquiry-based resources related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/237946

“Houston, We Have a Podcast” is a new weekly audio show from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The podcast, hosted by Gary Jordan as he talks with various guests, is designed to highlight a variety of topics covering the work of Johnson, NASA’s “home of human spaceflight.”

In the first episode, released on July 7, 2017, NASA public affairs officer Dan Huot provides a high-level overview of the International Space Station: what it is, how it works, and why it’s there. New episodes will be releasedeach Friday; upcoming topics include space food, human research in space, mission control and communications. Personal stories of human spaceflight, from living on the space station to understanding what it may be like to walk on Mars, will come from the Astronaut Candidates of 2017, International Space Station astronauts, and scientists and engineers from around the center.

Timed at an average of 45 to 50 minutes, episodes of “Houston, We Have a Podcast” will be released on iTunes, SoundCloud and nasa.gov. Questions may be asked using the hashtags #askNASA and #HWHAP on various NASA accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A live podcast episode from space with astronaut Jack Fischer is planned Aug. 10, 2017, on NASA TV, Facebook, YouTube, UStream and other platforms. Live audience viewers will be able to ask questions via Facebook and YouTube. The recorded podcast episode will be released Friday of the following week.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City is hosting a full day of professional learning for K-12 teachers and informal educators. The annual Space & Science Festival Professional Development will take place Aug. 5, 2017, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT.

The event will feature early-morning entry into the museum’s Drones: Is the Sky the Limit? exhibition, guest speakers and presenters from NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute, and workshops led by educational partners. Workshop topics include coding, space exploration, astronomy, the engineering design process, arts and science integration, and more!

The total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, is quickly approaching! To help you prepare for the big event, STAR_Net has developed educational resources to assist libraries in creating promotional and program materials for events surrounding the eclipse.

Funded by the NASA@ My Library program, these materials include images, videos, posters, activities, webinars and more! Here are just a few highlights of what is available:

2017 Solar Eclipse Guide: This eclipse information booklet may be downloaded free by anyone at http://www.starnetlibraries.org/EclipseGuide/. The 24-page booklet includes background information on eclipses, times when the eclipse is visible over different parts of the country, safe viewing techniques, suggestions for good outreach partners for libraries, and more.

New Collector’s Edition of Air & Space/Smithsonian Magazine: 50 Greatest Moments of the Space Age

A new collector’s edition of Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine is now available! “50 Greatest Moments of the Space Age” captures the ingenuity and courage of the people who led us into the Space Age and those who are navigating the challenges of space exploration today.

From the early intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union to the discoveries within the solar system and our first glimpses of the far reaches of the universe, the events of the Space Age have been among the most powerful of the past 60 years.

Backed by the authority of the Smithsonian Institution, Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine has selected 50 profound events in this epoch and presents them by combining the iconic photographs with rarely seen shots that invite readers behind the scenes of historic moments.

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

Celebrate “Mars Day! 2017” at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.! This annual event celebrates the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities. Visitors also can talk to scientists active in Mars research and learn about current and future missions.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.

HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include the following:

Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. Eligible faculty members must not have received any federal funding during the last three years. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 25, 2017. Full proposals are due Oct. 3, 2017.

Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 5, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 28, 2017.

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Dorit B. Donoviel at donoviel@bcm.edu.

Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known about its shape and extent or how these changed with time.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse once again. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Are you a K-12 teacher looking for ideas and information on what to do with your students, your school, or your community about the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017? Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.”

Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on spring internship opportunities available at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internship opportunities also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks. If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

NASA, in partnership with the nonprofit Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, is seeking ways to advance the field of bioengineering through a new prize competition. The Vascular Tissue Challenge offers a $500,000 prize to be divided among the first three teams that successfully create thick, metabolically functional, human vascularized organ tissue in a controlled laboratory environment.

Competitors must produce vascularized tissue that is more than .39 inches (1 centimeter) in thickness and maintains more than 85 percent survival of the required cells throughout a 30-day trial period. To win an award, teams must demonstrate three successful trials with at least a 75 percent success rate. In addition to the laboratory trials, teams must submit a proposal that details how they would further advance some aspect of their research through a microgravity experiment that could be conducted in the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station.

The first registered team(s) to meet the required guidelines and complete their trials by Sept. 30, 2019, will win the awards.

The Vascular Tissue Challenge prize purse is provided by NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Centennial Challenges, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is NASA’s citizen-inventor prize program. It invites the nation to help advance the technologies that will enable us to go to Mars and beyond, as well as improve life on Earth. The New Organ Alliance is administering the competition on behalf of NASA. The alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on regenerative medicine research and development to benefit human disease research and tissue engineering.

For information about the Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, official challenge documents, rules and schedule of events, visit https://neworgan.org/vtc-prize.php.

Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? To contribute to NASA’s studies of our home planet, all you need is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the “GLOBE Observer” app.

Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. For over two decades, GLOBE has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.

Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student seeking opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science — in collaboration with the participating agencies in the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Science.gov Alliance — has launched a search portal for both students and universities to discover federally sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities.

Student users can search the site for opportunities they can apply to directly, such as research internships and fellowships. Likewise, universities can search the site for federal funding opportunities to establish innovative training programs for undergraduates or graduate students.

Users can search the site through faceted searching capabilities for characteristics such as program type, STEM discipline, institution location, federal sponsor, and eligibility. Or they can search through the open text option.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a VolcanoAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8Event Date: July 13, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
Participants will be introduced to an activity that focuses on interpreting geologic history through volcano formation and excavation. Baking soda, vinegar and play dough are used to model fluid lava flows. Various colors of play dough identify different eruption events. The activity challenges students to do the following:
1.Construct a model of a volcano.
2. Produce lava flows.
3. Observe, draw, record, and interpret the history and stratigraphy of a volcano produced by other students.
4. Make the connection between the life cycle of a volcano and see these features on Earth and Mars.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/261971

Solar Eclipse: Edible Experiments/The Great American Eclipse/Eclipse Book ReviewsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 17, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Explore resources for making edible models to teach about lunar and solar eclipses. Browse websites with hands-on activities on subjects such as protection from UV rays. Learn about a collection of children’s literature to use for studying the eclipse. These activities will be great for summer camps and back-to-school events before the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263976

Solar Eclipse: Guest Scientist — High-Altitude BallooningAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Get an overview of high-altitude ballooning during eclipses with Bernhard Beck-Winchatz from the STEM Studies Department at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Beck-Winchatz has worked on several NASA projects using weather balloon flights that provide affordable access to a spacelike environment for student research. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263980

Solar Eclipse: Building Your Own Eclipse Equipment for Your Classroom on a BudgetAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 19, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn how to build inexpensive models to teach solar eclipse concepts in the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263974

Solar Eclipse: What, When, Where, How and SafetyAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: July 20, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
On Aug. 21, 2017, most Americans will experience their first total solar eclipse in almost 40 years. What is a solar eclipse? Where will the eclipse be visible? When will the eclipse occur? How can the eclipse be viewed safely? This webinar will explore these questions using some of the many NASA resources and classroom lessons supporting this solar event. Learn about the important safety of properly viewing the eclipse with your students. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/263468

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Five Years of Exploring Gale Crater With the Curiosity Mars Rover
Event Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=7
Nearly five years after its celebrated arrival at Mars, the Curiosity rover continues to reveal Mars as a once-habitable planet. Early in the planet’s history, generations of streams and lakes created the landforms that Curiosity explores today. Join James Erickson and Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, mission team members from the Mars Science Laboratory, for a discussion about the latest findings from the mission, the challenges of exploration with an aging robot, and what lies ahead.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Family Day Event– Your Eclipse

Get ready for the upcoming total solar eclipse by attending a Family Day event hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

On Aug. 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible from the entire continental U.S. During this Family Day event, visitors will learn about the science behind solar eclipses, participate in hands-on activities, and get information about how to safely view the eclipse.

Join the Digital Network at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for a Virtual Visit event on July 17, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT. The event will focus on LEGO and NASA engineering and will feature LEGO enthusiast Maia Weinstock. Weinstock is internationally known for her LEGO projects including “Women of NASA,” a LEGO Ideas-winning set that will soon be available in stores worldwide. LEGO engineering projects by female student guests at Armstrong also will be shared during the presentation.

If your school or camp would like to participate directly in this program, please send an email to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com with the subject line “LEGO Virtual Visit.” Those not selected to be a part of the interactive audience will be able to view the webcast event live.

Lecture From Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum — Remembering John Glenn: The Man and the Legend

John Glenn is one of the most recognized names and public figures in the world, a consequence of his stature as the first American to orbit Earth. That brief event made him a legend, but Glenn’s full career spanned more than seven decades as an aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, U.S. senator, public servant and educator. Behind the legend was a man devoted to the nation, the American people and his family — a genial and thoughtful man of good humor, faith and eloquence. These aspects of Glenn’s life will be remembered in an intimate conversation among a select few speakers who knew him best. Bob Schieffer will moderate the event.

The lecture will be held July 18, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the Washington, D.C. Attendance is free, but tickets are required. The event will be webcast live for free viewing.

NASA is embarking on a journey to Mars! Are your students ready to join in the adventure? Spark excitement in your classroom with the Mars Survival Kit.

The Mars Survival Kit is a collection of educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to the Next Generation Science Standards.

Celebrate “Mars Day! 2017” at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.! This annual event celebrates the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities. Visitors also can talk to scientists active in Mars research and learn about current and future missions.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.

HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include the following:

Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. Eligible faculty members must not have received any federal funding during the last three years. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 25, 2017. Full proposals are due Oct. 3, 2017.

Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 5, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 28, 2017.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Set to launch in June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an explorer-class planet finder. In the first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey, TESS will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants and will orbit a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics.

The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).

NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.

Bring the Story of “Hidden Figures” to the Classroom With the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” Profiles and Modern Figures Toolkit

In the 1960s, the U.S. was on an ambitious journey to the moon, and Katherine Johnson and her fellow human computers helped get NASA there. Bring the excitement of their story to your classroom with new resources from NASA Education.

Learn more about Katherine Johnson with the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” profiles written just for students. Versions written for K-4 and 5-8 students are available.

Also available online, the Modern Figures Toolkit is a collection of resources and educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity and resource includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to education standards. Resources highlighted include videos, historical references and STEM materials.

NASA has launched a new resource to help the public search and download out-of-this-world images, videos and audio files. The NASA Image and Video Library website consolidates imagery spread across more than 60 collections into one searchable location.

The NASA Image and Video Library allows users to search, discover and download a treasure trove of more than 140,000 NASA images, videos and audio files from across the agency’s many missions. Users can browse the most recently uploaded files, as well as discover historic and the most popularly searched images, audio files and videos. Topic areas include aeronautics, astrophysics, Earth science, human spaceflight and more.

Users can embed content in their own sites and choose from multiple resolutions to download. The website also displays the metadata associated with images.

Is a large planet at the fringes of our solar system awaiting discovery, a world astronomers call Planet Nine? Using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, NASA scientists are looking for this planet and for new brown dwarfs in the backyard of the solar system. But they need your help! Finding these dim objects requires the human eye to comb through the images to distinguish moving celestial bodies from ghosts and other artifacts. Participants in this citizen science project will share the credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that result from the project.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Backyard Worlds: Planet 9” website at http://backyardworlds.org.

Aurorasaurus is the first and only citizen science project that tracks auroras around the world via online reports, mobile apps and social media.

Aurorasaurus is a citizen science project that gathers real-time data about aurora sightings and sends out notifications to users when the northern or southern lights are likely visible in their area. Registered users get location-based notifications and a real-time monitor of space weather activity. The project also allows users to help verify tweets and search for real sightings. Plus, the website features answers to science and aurora questions.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

NASA Engineering Design Process 101: An Introduction to Classroom ApplicationAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12Event Date: July 6, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Explore the engineering design process and its application to real-world problem solving. Also explore NASA design challenges and other NASA STEM classroom resources. Engineering design is a common topic across each grade level in the Next Generation Science Standards and an important concept in understanding the world around us. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254193

Lunar Phases and Student MisconceptionsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 2-8Event Date: July 11, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
To prepare for the total solar eclipse in August, explore the astronomy behind lunar and solar eclipses. Presenters will demonstrate activities that prepare classes to view the eclipse and will share lesson plans that explain the connection between the phases of the moon and the eclipse. And participants will learn how to clear up common spatial misconceptions students often have about eclipses. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/261973

Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a VolcanoAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8Event Date: July 13, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
Participants will be introduced to an activity that focuses on interpreting geologic history through volcano formation and excavation. Baking soda, vinegar and play dough are used to model fluid lava flows. Various colors of play dough identify different eruption events. The activity challenges students to do the following:
1. Construct a model of a volcano.
2. Produce lava flows.
3. Observe, draw, record, and interpret the history and stratigraphy of a volcano produced by other students.
4. Make the connection between the life cycle of a volcano and see these features on Earth and Mars.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/261971

Now Accepting Applications for NASA Spring InternshipsNow is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on spring internship opportunities available at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internship opportunities also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks. If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Family Day Events– Your Eclipse

Get ready for the upcoming total solar eclipse by attending a Family Day event hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

On Aug. 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible from the entire continental U.S. During this Family Day event, visitors will learn about the science behind solar eclipses, participate in hands-on activities, and get information about how to safely view the eclipse.

Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Five Years of Exploring Gale Crater With the Curiosity Mars Rover
Event Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=7
Nearly five years after its celebrated arrival at Mars, the Curiosity rover continues to reveal Mars as a once-habitable planet. Early in the planet’s history, generations of streams and lakes created the landforms that Curiosity explores today. Join James Erickson and Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, mission team members from the Mars Science Laboratory, for a discussion about the latest findings from the mission, the challenges of exploration with an aging robot, and what lies ahead.

Join the Digital Network at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for a Virtual Visit event on July 17, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT. The event will focus on LEGO and NASA engineering and will feature LEGO enthusiast Maia Weinstock. Weinstock is internationally known for her LEGO projects including “Women of NASA,” a LEGO Ideas-winning set that will soon be available in stores worldwide. LEGO engineering projects by female student guests at Armstrong also will be shared during the presentation.

If your school or camp would like to participate directly in this program, please send an email to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com with the subject line “LEGO Virtual Visit.” Those not selected to be a part of the interactive audience will be able to view the webcast event live.

Lecture From Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum — Remembering John Glenn: The Man and the Legend

John Glenn is one of the most recognized names and public figures in the world, a consequence of his stature as the first American to orbit Earth. That brief event made him a legend, but Glenn’s full career spanned more than seven decades as an aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, U.S. senator, public servant and educator. Behind the legend was a man devoted to the nation, the American people and his family — a genial and thoughtful man of good humor, faith and eloquence. These aspects of Glenn’s life will be remembered in an intimate conversation among a select few speakers who knew him best. Bob Schieffer will moderate the event.

The lecture will be held July 18, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the Washington, D.C. Attendance is free, but tickets are required. The event will be webcast live for free viewing.

Questions about this event should be directed to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Mars Day! 2017 at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Celebrate “Mars Day! 2017” at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.! This annual event celebrates the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities. Visitors also can talk to scientists active in Mars research and learn about current and future missions.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.

HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include the following:

Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. Eligible faculty members must not have received any federal funding during the last three years. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 25, 2017. Full proposals are due Oct. 3, 2017.

Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 5, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 28, 2017.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Dorit B. Donoviel at donoviel@bcm.edu.

Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known about its shape and extent or how these changed with time.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse once again. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Are you a K-12 teacher looking for ideas and information on what to do with your students, your school, or your community about the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017? Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.”

Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Journey to Mars: Super ModelsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8Event Date: June 29, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Could students you teach today be the first explorers to Mars? How far will they have to travel to explore Mars? Is Mars big or small? Investigate these questions and more! Learn about our solar system with NASA STEM activities and resources that model the sizes of and distances between Earth, Mars and other bodies in our solar system. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/241395

Solar Eclipse: The Mechanics of EclipsesAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-12Event Date: July 3, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants in this webinar will get an overview of the “Sun, Earth, Moon” system and the basic mechanics of how and why eclipses occur. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standard ESS1. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/242601

Assessing Student Work During an Engineering Design ChallengeAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-12Event Date: July 5, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants in this webinar will learn about assessment strategies and NASA resources for classroom engineering design projects. Specific applications of these strategies will be discussed. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/242606

NASA Engineering Design Process 101: An Introduction to Classroom ApplicationAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12Event Date: July 6, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Explore the engineering design process and its application to real-world problem solving. Also explore NASA design challenges and other NASA STEM classroom resources. Engineering design is a common topic across each grade level in the Next Generation Science Standards and an important concept in understanding the world around us. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254193

Join the Digital Network at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for a Virtual Visit event on July 17, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT. The event will focus on LEGO and NASA engineering and will feature LEGO enthusiast Maia Weinstock. Weinstock is internationally known for her LEGO projects including “Women of NASA,” a LEGO Ideas-winning set that will soon be available in stores worldwide. LEGO engineering projects by female student guests at Armstrong also will be shared during the presentation.

If your school or camp would like to participate directly in this program, please send an email to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com with the subject line “LEGO Virtual Visit.” Those not selected to be a part of the interactive audience will be able to view the webcast event live.

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — STEM Institute for Educators

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is hosting a STEM Institute for middle school science teachers on June 29, 2017. Participants will learn new ways to engage students in astronomy topics, both in the classroom and at the museum.

This year’s workshop will discuss the total solar eclipse happening on Aug. 21, 2017. This eclipse is the first in nearly 100 years that will be visible from the entire continental United States, and the event presents a valuable learning opportunity for educators and students. Participants in this workshop will be prepared to help their students safely observe the eclipse and understand why it is happening.

This solicitation challenges universities to examine the theoretical feasibility of new ideas and approaches that are critical to making science, space travel, and exploration more effective, affordable, and sustainable. It is intended to foster interactions between NASA and the awarded university teams. Therefore, collaboration and interaction with NASA researchers should be expected while conducting space technology research under these awards.

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2017. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but to guarantee admission, reservations are required. Visitor parking is also free.

On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn’s main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop. (The historic district tours follow a different schedule. See tour schedule for details.)

Glenn’s 2017 Tour Schedule

July 8, 2017:SLOPE Laboratory: Explore locomotion on planets with a visit to the Simulated Lunar Operations, or SLOPE, Lab. See how rover components are tested for their ability to navigate and investigate planetary surfaces.

Aug. 5, 2017 — Photovoltaic Laboratory: See the light of solar cells with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Photovoltaic Laboratory. See how researchers are exploring ways to create energy from light in order to power everything from homes to spacecraft.

Sept. 9, 2017 — Zero-G Facility: Explore microgravity research of yesterday, today and tomorrow with a tour of Glenn’s Zero-G Facility. Learn how dropping payloads over 400 feet can give researchers a glimpse into microgravity conditions.

Oct. 7, 2017 — Historic District Tour Featuring the 8- by 6-Foot Wind Tunnel: Join us on a free tour of Glenn’s recently established historic district. The tours feature the 8- by 6-foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel. Built in 1946, the wind tunnel has contributed to decades of aeronautics research.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Family Day Events– Your Eclipse

Get ready for the upcoming total solar eclipse by attending a Family Day event hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

On Aug. 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible from the entire continental U.S. During this Family Day event, visitors will learn about the science behind solar eclipses, participate in hands-on activities, and get information about how to safely view the eclipse.

Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.

Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

The annual Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop will be held Aug. 21-25, 2017, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop encourages knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking throughout the thermal and fluids engineering community within NASA, academia and the aerospace community at large. STEM faculty and university students are encouraged to attend, take free training, or do a combination thereof.

Registration to attend the workshop is free. For more information about the workshop and how to submit an abstract for consideration, visit https://tfaws.nasa.gov/.

NASA’s Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program seeks to develop novel concepts with the potential to create new capabilities in aeronautics by stimulating aeronautics research in the student community. Through this solicitation, TACP will provide students from accredited U.S. colleges or universities with grants for aeronautics projects that also raise cost-sharing funds using crowdfunding platforms.

This challenge, which is being run as a pilot project, seeks students who have an aeronautics-related project idea and have the passion to develop that idea. The project must be relevant to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s Strategic Implementation Plan.

The challenge is open to teams of students enrolled in accredited U.S. institutions of higher education. This category includes universities, four-year colleges, community colleges or other two-year institutions.

A notice of intent is not required for this opportunity. Proposals are due Oct. 16, 2017.

Earn STEM Digital Badges to Celebrate the Centennial of NASA’s Langley Research Center

To celebrate NASA’s Langley Research Center’s Centennial, three STEM digital badges are now available for educators and students in grades 5-9. Discover the role of cloud types in the Earth’s Energy Budget; how drag is used to land the Mars2020 Rover on Mars; and the importance of composite materials for airplanes.

Educators may earn up to 15 hours of professional development. Student badges include up to six hours of content aligned to the educator badge.

The first 1,000 educators to complete all three badges by Oct. 21, 2017, will receive a NASA insignia iron-on patch.

For more information and to begin earning badges, visit https://nasatxstate-epdc.net/. After logging in to the site, click on the Explore icon and type “NASA Langley” in the search area to find and select the NASA Langley Centennial Mission.

Infiniscope Launches First Digital Learning Experience — Where are the small worlds?

Join the growing group of formal and informal educators discovering Infiniscope’s first digital-by-design learning experience titled “Where are the small worlds?” Developed for NASA by Arizona State University, this learning experience is a standards-aligned, innovative, game-like exploration of the solar system using real NASA data and the relative motion of objects in the solar system.

In this experience, learners explore the view of our solar system from the perspective of the sun and collect data on small worlds. Learners observe the motion of different worlds to determine their location in the solar system, then launch probes to search these small worlds to find the hidden caches and collect astrocoins.

In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. A century later, on Sept. 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, made the first direct detection of this elusive phenomenon. This discovery is the first of many that will give researchers a whole new way to explore the universe. However, LIGO needs your help!

Being the most sensitive and most complicated gravitational experiment ever created, LIGO is susceptible to many instrumental and environmental noise sources called “glitches.” These glitches are difficult to model using computers, can mimic true astrophysical signals, and generally make LIGO less sensitive to gravitational waves.

Classifying glitches using computers has proven to be an exceedingly difficult task. That’s where the Gravity Spy Zooniverse Citizen Science Project comes in! Human intuition has proven time and time again to be a useful tool in pattern recognition problems such as this. One of the innovations of this project is that citizen scientists and computer algorithms will work in a symbiotic relationship, helping one another to optimally classify and characterize glitches. By selecting the right classification for a given glitch, you will help computers learn to do this classification themselves on much larger datasets. That capability will help scientists determine and eliminate the sources of noise.

“Gravity Spy” is a collaboration between the following entities:
–Northwestern University, led by Scott Coughlin and Michael Zevin with PI Vicky Kalogera and co-PI Aggelos Katsaggelos. Northwestern’s team is composed of a LIGO group in the CIERA astrophysics research center and a machine learning group in the Image and Video Processing Laboratory.
–The Adler Planetarium Zooniverse Team, led by co-PI Laura Trouille.
–Syracuse University, led by co-PI’s Kevin Crowston and Carsten Østerlund.
–California State University at Fullerton, led by co-PI Josh Smith.
–The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, of which NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center are member institutions.

The project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to Saturn

During nearly two decades in space, Cassini has inspired people on Earth. Cassini has sent home thousands of images of icy moons and resplendent rings. It helped discover erupting water geysers on Enceladus and seas of methane on Titan. It showed us a view of Earth as a blue dot.

Now the mission is moving toward its “Grand Finale,” and in September 2017 it will finally draw to a dramatic end. NASA’s Cassini team would like to know this: How has Cassini inspired you?

Visit the Cassini Inspires website to explore images and more from the mission. Then use inspiration to get creative. Write a poem. Paint a picture. Choreograph a dance. Tell a story. The possibilities are endless!

Share your creation with the NASA Cassini team on the social media platform of your choice, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or others. Tag it #CassiniInspires. Or send it directly to cassinimission@jpl.nasa.gov.

Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you will view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.

Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as “dry ice”) at the Martian poles create some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.

Are you looking for ways to prepare your students for STEM-related career opportunities? Do you want to spark their interest in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation? Right now, NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers is paving the way for human exploration of the solar system in the coming decades. Have your students join NASA in preparing for a monumental journey of a lifetime — to Mars!

Please direct questions about the “NASA’s Journey to Mars” planetarium/dome show to Elsie Weigel at elsie.weigel@nasa.gov.

NASA Invites You to #SpotHubble

Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has sent back mind-blowing images that not only changed our understanding of our universe, but also changed where we see glimpses of our universe in everyday life.

Hubble is more than a science spacecraft; it’s a cultural phenomenon! Take a moment to think about where you’ve seen the Hubble Space Telescope or Hubble images in your daily life. Maybe you own a textbook with a picture of the telescope on the cover, or you walk by a mural inspired by Hubble images every day on your way to work. Perhaps you’ve even created art based on Hubble images. NASA wants to see the Hubble impact in your life! Share your photos with NASA on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.

Images may be submitted on the following social media platforms:
— Flickr: Submit your photos to the Spot Hubble Flickr Group.— Instagram: Use the Instagram app to upload your photo, and in the description include #SpotHubble and #NASAGoddard.
— Twitter: Share your image on Twitter and include #SpotHubble in the tweet.— Facebook: Share your image on Facebook and include #SpotHubble in the post.

Your #SpotHubble image may be shared on NASA Hubble social media accounts!

Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student seeking opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science — in collaboration with the participating agencies in the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Science.gov Alliance — has launched a search portal for both students and universities to discover federally sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities.

Student users can search the site for opportunities they can apply to directly, such as research internships and fellowships. Likewise, universities can search the site for federal funding opportunities to establish innovative training programs for undergraduates or graduate students.

Users can search the site through faceted searching capabilities for characteristics such as program type, STEM discipline, institution location, federal sponsor, and eligibility. Or they can search through the open text option.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Journey to Mars: Looking for LifeAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10Event Date: June 22, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
In this webinar, learn about how scientists conduct research to identify characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. Scientist must establish criteria to work with in their research. Explore the following NASA classroom activities related to this topic: Imaginary Martians, Mars Critters, Strange New Planet, and Areology: the Study of Mars. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/257704

Journey to Mars: Survival on MarsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12Event Date: June 26, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
A trip to Mars means dealing with the challenges of living in a sealed container. Some of the science and technology being developed for the journey to Mars also will help us overcome some challenges on Earth. In this webinar, participants will explore water filtration and compare living on the International Space Station to living in a habitat on Mars. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/249105

Journey to Mars: RocketsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: June 27, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about the journey to Mars and how rockets impact planning for the trip. Participants also will learn about current research going on at NASA and about rocketry activities that can be used in the classroom or during after-school time. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254220

From Hidden to Modern Figures: Bringing Katherine Johnson’s Story Into Your ClassroomAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K -12Event Date: June 28, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
The film “Hidden Figures,” based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, focuses on the stories of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan, African-American women who were essential to the success of early spaceflight. This session will focus on K-12 classroom activities that are perfect for English, social studies, history, science, mathematics and engineering. These activities are related to what NASA is doing today. Additional resources and adaptation recommendations will be included for activities that tie directly to the work portrayed in the movie. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/252204

Journey to Mars: Super ModelsAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8Event Date: June 29, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Could students you teach today be the first explorers to Mars? How far will they have to travel to explore Mars? Is Mars big or small? Investigate these questions and more! Learn about our solar system with NASA STEM activities and resources that model the sizes of and distances between Earth, Mars and other bodies in our solar system. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/241395

Are you ready for a challenge? Become a geographical detective and solve the latest mystery quiz from NASA’s MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer) instrument on board the Terra satellite.

The quiz asks nine multiple-choice questions (one question for each of MISR’s nine cameras) about the area seen in the mystery image. Online research is allowed. If all questions are answered correctly, you will have a chance to enter for a prize.

Prize submissions for perfect scores will be accepted until Wednesday, June 28, at 4 p.m. PDT. Happy sleuthing!

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

Exploring Space Lecture From Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — The Grand Tour: Exploring Planets Outside the Solar System

The past decade has marked a period of great progress in the quest to understand planets outside our solar system. Join Heather Knutson, assistant professor of planetary science at the California Institute of Technology, as she describes ongoing efforts to understand the composition, temperatures, and weather patterns of these distant planets by using both ground- and space-based telescopes.

The lecture will be held June 22, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the District of Columbia. Attendance is free, but tickets are required. Come early to meet the lecturer. The lecture will be webcast live for free viewing.

Questions about this event should be directed to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Presents ‘Making STEM Magic’ Program

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is presenting a series of free education events called “Making STEM Magic.” This new program introduces young visitors to engineering in a fun and creative way. Participants learn by doing. Each challenge involves designing, building and testing a prototype. Each month, a new theme will be introduced with a new problem to solve.

Events are scheduled each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The events are free and open to the public.

Red Rover: Mission to MarsEach Saturday in June 2017Did you know that rovers are robotic ambassadors? Learn more about NASA’s mobile labs and construct your own rolling rover.

Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 703-572-4118.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — STEM Institute for Educators

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is hosting a STEM Institute for middle school science teachers on June 29, 2017. Participants will learn new ways to engage students in astronomy topics, both in the classroom and at the museum.

This year’s workshop will discuss the total solar eclipse happening on Aug. 21, 2017. This eclipse is the first in nearly 100 years that will be visible from the entire continental United States, and the event presents a valuable learning opportunity for educators and students. Participants in this workshop will be prepared to help their students safely observe the eclipse and understand why it is happening.

This solicitation challenges universities to examine the theoretical feasibility of new ideas and approaches that are critical to making science, space travel, and exploration more effective, affordable, and sustainable. It is intended to foster interactions between NASA and the awarded university teams. Therefore, collaboration and interaction with NASA researchers should be expected while conducting space technology research under these awards.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Family Day Events– Your Eclipse

Get ready for the upcoming total solar eclipse by attending a Family Day event hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

On Aug. 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible from the entire continental U.S. During this Family Day event, visitors will learn about the science behind solar eclipses, participate in hands-on activities, and get information about how to safely view the eclipse.

Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.

Lecture From Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum — Remembering John Glenn: The Man and the Legend

John Glenn is one of the most recognized names and public figures in the world, a consequence of his stature as the first American to orbit Earth. That brief event made him a legend, but Glenn’s full career spanned more than seven decades as an aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, U.S. senator, public servant and educator. Behind the legend was a man devoted to the nation, the American people and his family — a genial and thoughtful man of good humor, faith and eloquence. These aspects of Glenn’s life will be remembered in an intimate conversation among a select few speakers who knew him best. Bob Schieffer will moderate the event.

The lecture will be held July 18, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the Washington, D.C. Attendance is free, but tickets are required. The event will be webcast live for free viewing.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.

HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include the following:

Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. Eligible faculty members must not have received any federal funding during the last three years. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 25, 2017. Full proposals are due Oct. 3, 2017.

Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 5, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 28, 2017.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Dorit B. Donoviel at donoviel@bcm.edu.

Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

The U.S. Agency for International Development seeks proposals for Development Innovation Ventures grants. Development Innovation Ventures supports breakthrough solutions to the world’s most intractable development challenges by finding and testing bold ideas that could change millions of lives at a fraction of the usual cost.

DIV welcomes applications from U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, individuals, and nonprofit and for-profit entities, provided their work is in a country where USAID operates.

Examples of innovations that USAID/DIV is likely to support include:
— Behavior-change approaches drawing on insights from psychology and behavioral economics.
— Solutions that advance equality between females and males and that empower women and girls to participate fully in and benefit from the development of their societies.
— New methods to reduce absenteeism among frontline health and education workers.
— Testing proof of concept for a solar lighting system distributed by local entrepreneurs at a price/service point that induces wide adoption.

The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).

NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.

NASA’s Centennial Challenges: Vascular Tissue Challenge

NASA, in partnership with the nonprofit Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, is seeking ways to advance the field of bioengineering through a new prize competition. The Vascular Tissue Challenge offers a $500,000 prize to be divided among the first three teams that successfully create thick, metabolically functional, human vascularized organ tissue in a controlled laboratory environment.

Competitors must produce vascularized tissue that is more than .39 inches (1 centimeter) in thickness and maintains more than 85 percent survival of the required cells throughout a 30-day trial period. To win an award, teams must demonstrate three successful trials with at least a 75 percent success rate. In addition to the laboratory trials, teams must submit a proposal that details how they would further advance some aspect of their research through a microgravity experiment that could be conducted in the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station.

The first registered team(s) to meet the required guidelines and complete their trials by Sept. 30, 2019, will win the awards.

The Vascular Tissue Challenge prize purse is provided by NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Centennial Challenges, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is NASA’s citizen-inventor prize program. It invites the nation to help advance the technologies that will enable us to go to Mars and beyond, as well as improve life on Earth. The New Organ Alliance is administering the competition on behalf of NASA. The alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on regenerative medicine research and development to benefit human disease research and tissue engineering.

For information about the Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, official challenge documents, rules and schedule of events, visit https://neworgan.org/vtc-prize.php.

In November 2016, a small group of artists visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to see the James Webb Space Telescope in person for inspiration to create art. They have been busy ever since, producing amazing work that will be presented for exhibit during spring 2017 at the Goddard Visitor Center.

Though only a few artists were able to physically visit the telescope, the team at GSFC was impressed by the number of talented people who were interested in participating and want to offer more artists a chance to participate virtually.

How can you participate? Browse through the collection of James Webb Space Telescope images and videos and see what inspires you. Create art! (Note: this is not limited to art you can hang on a wall.) Then, share it with NASA on social media with #JWSTArt, or email it to jwst@lists.nasa.gov.

Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? To contribute to NASA’s studies of our home planet, all you need is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the “GLOBE Observer” app.

Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. For over two decades, GLOBE has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Viewing Your Content Through a NASA ContextAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-16Event Date: June 15, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
Explore ways to bring real-world NASA science into your classroom. Participants will be introduced to NASA activities that touch on satellites and ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Learn how these activities have classroom applications that cover topics such as scatter plots, the upcoming solar eclipse, weather and clouds, atmospheres and solar system exploration, material composition, and radiation safety. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/244606

Journey to Mars: Is There Water on Mars?Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12Event Date: June 19, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Explore the possibility of finding water by probing below the surface of Mars. This webinar will include activities where students will record and graph temperature data to learn about the search for water on Mars using two different models. The activities will match both the Next Generation Science Standards and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254724

Journey to Mars: Space FoodAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12Event Date: June 20, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about NASA’s plans for sending astronauts on a journey to Mars and the impact food has on planning the long-duration mission. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254217

Exploring Exoplanets: Using Math to Understand Our Solar SystemAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 7-12Event Date: June 21, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
In this webinar, find out how scientists use mathematics to learn about distant planets. Using Kepler’s laws, algebra and geometry, scientists can gather a plethora of information on planet size, speed and movement in the search for planets similar to Earth! The activity in this webinar covers math standards pertaining to radicals, linear and exponential models, and Next Generation Science Standards. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254552

Journey to Mars: Looking for LifeAudience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10Event Date: June 22, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
In this webinar, learn about how scientists conduct research to identify characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. Scientist must establish criteria to work with in their research. Explore the following NASA classroom activities related to this topic: Imaginary Martians, Mars Critters, Strange New Planet, and Areology: the Study of Mars. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/257704

Join NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the “NASA in the Park” event! This “open house” will take place at Big Spring Park East in downtown Huntsville on Saturday, June 17, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT.

Throughout the day, Marshall researchers, scientists and other team members will present short talks about their work. Bands featuring Marshall musicians will perform, and visitors can have their picture taken in a spacesuit. The Marshall Exchange shop will have science-related kids’ games for sale, as well as caps, T-shirts, tote bags, space shuttle mission coins and other NASA-logo merchandise. Many educational activities will be available for children and adults alike.

If you have questions about the “NASA in the Park” event, please email your inquiries to Angela Storey at angela.d.storey@nasa.gov.

Notice and New FAQs Posted — NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC)

As of June 9, the NASA Office of Education has posted new information for its 2017 NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC), Announcement Number NNH17ZHA002N. Proposals for this solicitation are due June 19, 2017.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NRA.

Press Conference: 2017 Eclipse Across America Through the Eyes of NASA

Join NASA, other federal agencies and science organizations for a two-hour nationally televised event, live from the Newseum in Washington, D.C.! The event will take place on June 21, 2017, at 1 p.m. EDT. Tune in to watch on NASA TV or see a livestream of the event on NASA.gov.

For the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will cross the entire United States on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. Over the course of 100 minutes, 14 states across the United States will experience over two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day. Additionally, a partial eclipse will be viewable across the continent.

Tune in to the event for solar eclipse tips, such as:
— How to experience the August 2017 eclipse through the eyes of NASA
— Views from different areas of the country and how to prepare
— Safe practices for viewing an eclipse
— What causes an eclipse and why you should care
— How to participate in events around the country
— The unique research opportunities to study our Earth, moon and the sun

This solicitation challenges universities to examine the theoretical feasibility of new ideas and approaches that are critical to making science, space travel, and exploration more effective, affordable, and sustainable. It is intended to foster interactions between NASA and the awarded university teams. Therefore, collaboration and interaction with NASA researchers should be expected while conducting space technology research under these awards.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.

HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include the following:

Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. Eligible faculty members must not have received any federal funding during the last three years. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 25, 2017. Full proposals are due Oct. 3, 2017.

Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 5, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 28, 2017.

The Translational Research Institute leads a national effort in applying cutting edge terrestrial research to spaceflight human-risk-mitigation strategies for long-duration exploration missions. TRI was founded in 2016 and works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program through a cooperative agreement and cooperative agreement management plan.

Applications for postdoctoral fellowships offered through the Translational Research Institute are now being accepted. Fellowships will be competitively awarded in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with TRI’s mission and goals. The fellowship is open to any researcher who is legally residing and/or working in the United States, i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. To be eligible for this program, applicants may not have more than five years (cumulative) previous postdoctoral training as of the deadline for this proposal submission.

Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Dorit B. Donoviel at donoviel@bcm.edu.

PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…

Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter

Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”

Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!

Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 12 to the International Space Station

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education announce a science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest flight opportunity, Mission 12 to the International Space Station, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit on the space station. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.

Each participating community will receive a microgravity research mini-laboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment and all launch services to fly the minilab to the space station in spring/summer 2018 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community — engaging typically 300+ students — allows student teams to design and propose real experiments vying for their community′s reserved mini-lab.

Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. Additional SSEP programming uses the experiment design competition to engage the community in embracing a learning-community model for STEM education.

This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations also are encouraged to participate. Interested communities must inquire about the program no later than June 15, 2017. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities in the U.S. secure the needed funding.

SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with DreamUp PBC and NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the use of the International Space Station as a national laboratory. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/) is a national partner of SSEP. To view a list of all SSEP national partners, visit http://ssep.ncesse.org/national-partners/.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein at jeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.

NASA is embarking on a journey to Mars! Are your students ready to join in the adventure? Spark excitement in your classroom with the Mars Survival Kit.

The Mars Survival Kit is a collection of educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to the Next Generation Science Standards.

The Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope program allows educators and their students to operate a 34-meter (112-foot) radio telescope from the classroom. Partnered with scientists and other observatories from around the world, participants conduct real research and exploration.

Join the GAVRT team for a two-day training institute for educators. Attendees will learn about radio astronomy, current science campaigns available through the GAVRT program, and how the telescopes used by the program operate. Members of the Juno mission team will attend to share highlights from their mission that is studying Jupiter. And attendees will take part in question and answer sessions with professional radio astronomers.

Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Presents ‘Making STEM Magic’ Program

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is presenting a series of free education events called “Making STEM Magic.” This new program introduces young visitors to engineering in a fun and creative way. Participants learn by doing. Each challenge involves designing, building and testing a prototype. Each month, a new theme will be introduced with a new problem to solve.

Events are scheduled each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The events are free and open to the public.

Red Rover: Mission to MarsEach Saturday in June 2017Did you know that rovers are robotic ambassadors? Learn more about NASA’s mobile labs and construct your own rolling rover.

Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 703-572-4118.

New Forever Stamp to Commemorate Solar Eclipse 2017

To commemorate the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, the U.S. Postal Service will release a first-of-its-kind stamp that changes when touched. The Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever stamp is the first U.S. stamp application of thermochromic ink. Using the body heat of a person’s thumb or fingers, the eclipse image will transform to reveal an underlying image of the moon. The stamp reverts back to the eclipse image once it cools.

Tens of millions of people in the United States hope to view this rare event, which has not been seen on the U.S. mainland since 1979. The eclipse will travel a narrow path across the entire country for the first time since 1918. The path will run west to east from Oregon to South Carolina and will include portions of 14 states.

The Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever stamps can be pre-ordered now at usps.com/shop for delivery after the June 20 issuance. Please share the news and your eclipse experiences using the hashtag #EclipseStamps.

Exploring Space Lecture From Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — The Grand Tour: Exploring Planets Outside the Solar System

The past decade has marked a period of great progress in the quest to understand planets outside our solar system. Join Heather Knutson, assistant professor of planetary science at the California Institute of Technology, as she describes ongoing efforts to understand the composition, temperatures, and weather patterns of these distant planets by using both ground- and space-based telescopes.

The lecture will be held June 22, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the District of Columbia. Attendance is free, but tickets are required. Come early to meet the lecturer. The lecture will be webcast live for free viewing.

Questions about this event should be directed to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — STEM Institute for Educators

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is hosting a STEM Institute for middle school science teachers on June 29, 2017. Participants will learn new ways to engage students in astronomy topics, both in the classroom and at the museum.

This year’s workshop will discuss the total solar eclipse happening on Aug. 21, 2017. This eclipse is the first in nearly 100 years that will be visible from the entire continental United States, and the event presents a valuable learning opportunity for educators and students. Participants in this workshop will be prepared to help their students safely observe the eclipse and understand why it is happening.

NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.

Films featuring imagery captured by NASA and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.

“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publicly available NASA imagery.

The submission period opens June 1, 2017, and closes July 31, 2017. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”

Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known about its shape and extent or how these changed with time.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse once again. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Are you a K-12 teacher looking for ideas and information on what to do with your students, your school, or your community about the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017? Boston-based PBS station WGBH, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, has gathered information from trusted content partners into a “Solar Eclipse of 2017: Teacher Toolkit.”

Check out the toolkit to find maps, activities and more. Learn how to align your eclipse activities to national education standards. Watch an archived recording of a professional development webinar about the eclipse. And you can even find resources available in Spanish!

Bring the Story of “Hidden Figures” to the Classroom With the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” Profiles and Modern Figures Toolkit

In the 1960s, the U.S. was on an ambitious journey to the moon, and Katherine Johnson and her fellow human computers helped get NASA there. Bring the excitement of their story to your classroom with new resources from NASA Education.

Learn more about Katherine Johnson with the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” profiles written just for students. Versions written for K-4 and 5-8 students are available.

Also available online, the Modern Figures Toolkit is a collection of resources and educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity and resource includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to education standards. Resources highlighted include videos, historical references and STEM materials.

Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student seeking opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science — in collaboration with the participating agencies in the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Science.gov Alliance — has launched a search portal for both students and universities to discover federally sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities.

Student users can search the site for opportunities they can apply to directly, such as research internships and fellowships. Likewise, universities can search the site for federal funding opportunities to establish innovative training programs for undergraduates or graduate students.

Users can search the site through faceted searching capabilities for characteristics such as program type, STEM discipline, institution location, federal sponsor, and eligibility. Or they can search through the open text option.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/